Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / It is evident that many students admitted to higher education in South Africa are ill-prepared
for tertiary study. The predominantly behaviorist school system encourages learner
dependency and superficial understanding and fails to encourage reflection and self-direction.
Changing times and a more diverse student population have heightened the need for a broader
range of teaching and learning approaches at tertiary level. As a result, many departments,
faculties and institutes such as SciMathUS have explored the merits of problem-based
learning (PBL) which supports students as self-directed, independent learners. Problem-based
learning is a different philosophical approach to the whole notion of teaching and learning
where problems drive the learning and is one of the best examples of a constructivist learning
environment. Thus far, problem-based learning has mainly been implemented in long-term
medical curricula, so research findings focus mainly on the development of PBL for longer
programmes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether introducing a Hybrid PBL
approach in a shorter one-year foundation programme can create conditions for learners to
develop and sustain self-directed learning skills and gain more control of the learning process.
This interpretive-constructivist study may be broadly termed evaluation research. A mixedmethod
approach that involved collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data
was chosen.
Evaluation findings indicate that introducing students to a Hybrid PBL approach does
promote more meaningful learning patterns, typified by processing the subject matter
critically and self-regulating learning processes. However the sustainability of the meaningdirected
learning activities is questionable if student beliefs do not support the activities
employed. Findings also reveal that the Hybrid PBL approach contributes to overall
programme improvement by promoting understanding in mathematics and science and
improved staff relationships and subject knowledge. PBL helps to establish a learner-centered
learning environment that emphasizes relations in mathematics and science, promotes deep
approaches to learning which may lead to higher levels of achievement and success in Higher
Education.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1231 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Malan, Sharon Brenda |
| Contributors | Engelbrecht, P., Michaels, D. W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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